Value of Ontologies and Semantic Mapping

While there is no free lunch here, the use of the ontologies concept within modern application integration and SOA techniques and technologies seems to be a good match. Indeed, today we are already leveraging certain aspects of ontologies within most application integration and SOA projects, whether we understand the concept or not. The value here is to recognize ontologies as a concept that formalizes the management and integration of information, services, and processes … formalizing something we are already doing informally.

The real significance of ontologies - leveraging the reusable aspects - is within vertical domains where the use of common metadata, services, and processes has the most worth. Once we get semantics under control within vertical systems (more often, a collection of systems), application integration and SOA - or linking a common set of semantics to back-end systems - won't be as daunting as this process is today.

As integration becomes more complex and far reaching, the need to make sense of hundreds and sometimes thousands of data stores within an enterprise or trading community is becoming critical. Indeed, corporate data typically exists in many different types of data storage technologies and schemas types. Thus, creating a common view of the information for any purpose is essential in both establishing a strategic integration infrastructure, as well as making business decisions using live and meaningful corporate data.

Indeed, we've seen the rise of data abstraction middleware designed to place any number of enterprise databases, sometimes APIs (such as SAP's BAPI), and even Web services, behind a database abstraction layer. This is really nothing new; we've been creating virtual databases in middleware for years. However, the capabilities of certain vendors have made this type of technology carry an enhanced value proposition, and this type of solution will find its way into many enterprises.

So glad to see that others are also trying to cut through the=
haze of confusion and marketing hype=2E I absolutely agree with=
your premise that we should not confuse a concept with a=
technology manifestation=2E That goes the same for when it comes=
to breaking down BPM, SOA, and EDA=2E Each has conceptual=
connotations that must not be compromised in the interest of a=
vendor's product implementation=2E
One specific point on EAI vs=2E ESB that you may want to comment on=
is the notion that compared to broker technologies of=
"traditional EAI", ESBs offer the capability for individual=
services (infrastructure or app web services) to be added=
individually and distibuted across different domains and=
servers=2E

Couldn't agree more=2E A classic case of confusing concept with=
specific implementation=2E The IT industry is an absolute master=
at confusing the two - for purely marketing purposes I suspect=2E =
The whole industry loves to present concepts and specifications=
as actual products/technologies that you can just go implement=
and solve all your problems=2E
This is then exacerbated by unscrupulous vendors presenting=
products as if they were the specifications=2E "Hey, we'll sell=
you an SOA", "Buy our fully-functional J2EE", or "We can=
implement your EAI for you"=2E I suspect this is done to=
associate their brand with the specification so you won't go=
anywhere else=2E IT professionals are normally a pretty smart=
bunch, but sadly, there are still plenty of schmucks who buy the=
lie, or even go about preaching it=2E
We need more people like you out there exposing the fraudsters=2E

I think you're a fool for trying=2E There are too many marketeers=
recasting terms in order to have a strawman to compare their=
product to=2E Worse, the term "EAI " has been hyped up, torn down,=
and supplanted by other E*I and SOA acronyms=2E It's the nature of=
the tech marketing beast=2E
OMG did I just use that many TLAs in one comment? ROFLMAO=2E
Mark

Interesting post=2E One more point for your readers on semantics=
and SOA=2E I want to write a longer post on this in my blog but=
take a look at IBM's WebSphere Information Integration and BEA's=
Data Services=2E These products can take the messy underlying data=
and present them as elemental services - e=2Eg=2E a service that=
presents a single view of a customer from the underlying data=2E
SOA metadata needs to reach all the way back down to the data=2E=
Also, look at IBM's plans for Metadata Server=2E There are plans=
to span data integration (data profiling, ETL=2E=2E=2Ethe Ascential=
products), services (registry), design (Rational) and BPM=
(Process Server)=2E The Metadata Service comes from Ascential, so=
it has deep roots in data management=2E That's the hard part of=
metadata management - harder than WSDLs=2E
More later, this is an interesting topic=2E
Eric Roch

You wrote: "The value here is to recognize ontologies as a=
concept that formalizes the management and integration of=
information, services, and processes =85 formalizing something we=
are already doing informally=2E"
Exactly, as the line between content and delivery narrows,=
organizations are being to see the need to create appropriate=
semantic mapping and related ontologies as a pre-cursor to=
launching new information over the already-crowded Web=2E The=
buyer and user of this information is becoming increasingly=
savvy and knowledgeable; the providers need to be aware of this=
growing need for knowledge management and delivery=2E
Debi Brady
Technical Writer and Consultant

Clearly applying ontologies to create creating a common views of information is powerful, but frequently this is not fully realized. For example, even if they adopt an ontology based approach, many SOA implementations only leverage ontology metadata in the form of a unified information model. But an ontology includes metadata and instance data. Ontology based services should leverage the rationalization of both.

UnknownMay 21, 2008

Interesting Blog, whatâ€™s your opinion on outsourcing, have you blogged about that or how technology could help in creating more opportunities for businesses and individuals? There is an interesting competition going on with a chance to win $1000 (http://www.limeexchange.com/contest/details/2) and i was thinking of referring to some of your blog items in my blog. Is it going to be alright with you?

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